Partnership reports 26 economic development wins in 2021

The Greater Houston Partnership has issued the following press release:

Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, the Houston region continued to see both domestic and international business expansions and relocation activity in 2021. The Partnership and its regional allies assisted in 26 economic development projects, accounting for over $922 million in capital expenditure and over 2,900 new jobs to the region.

These include: 

• Aegle Management, a high-quality American-made PPE manufacturer and health-tech company, said it will open a manufacturing facility in Brookshire.
• Archaea Energy, one of the largest renewable natural gas producers in the U.S., is relocating its corporate headquarters to a 40,000-square-foot office space in Houston.
• Capsule, a New York City-based leading digital pharmacy, will expand to Houston with a hub for its pharmacists, pharmacy techs and delivery drivers. The company plans to grow its local team to more than 100 employees over the next year.
• Chewy.com, an online pet supply retailer, is expanding its distribution network with a 700,000-square-foot facility in Houston.
• Dayton Street Partners, a Chicago-based real estate investment firm, has acquired a 500,000-square-foot logistics center in northeast Houston. The company is planning a multimillion-dollar renovation of the terminal and the development of an additional 25 acres.
• First Bank of Taiwan, one of the world’s leading banks, opened its first branch in Houston. This is the first Taiwanese bank to establish operations in Texas. The Houston Branch will provide a full range of financial services to meet the operating need of overseas Taiwanese enterprises.
• Fluence Analytics, a venture-backed startup that provides patented process analytics and control solutions to polymer and biopharmaceutical manufacturers, announced the relocation of its headquarters from New Orleans to Stafford, Texas with more than 5,600 square feet of office, manufacturing and laboratory space.
• Haldor Topsoe, a Denmark-based global leader in catalysis and process technology, will build a 15,000-ton-per-year hydroprocessing catalyst plant at the company’s existing Bayport production site in Pasadena, Texas.
• Han’s Laser, a Chinese national laser equipment supplier, opened a Houston office that will support its marketing, R&D, assembly plant and more.
• Hobas Pipe USA, an Austria-based global manufacturer of pipe systems, is expanding in the Houston region with a facility that will support three new product lines.
• Honeywell International Inc. moved its Performance Materials and Technologies business division to Houston, increasing the company’s Houston headcount to more than 850 employees. Honeywell also plans to open a new Customer Excellence Center on the CityWestPlace campus to showcase its technologies aimed at improving efficiency and profitability for industrial clients.
• JPMorgan Chase, returned to its namesake building and Downtown Houston’s tallest tower, with a 250,000-square-foot lease. The bank is planning major renovation of the building lobby, outdoor plaza, and amenities. As part of this move, JPMorgan Chase will relocate its Houston Technology Center, which employs more than 1,500 people.
• Neurogene, a biotech company focused on genetic medicines for patients affected by rare neurological diseases, announced plans to convert a 19,000-square-foot building into manufacturing facility to support research and development efforts.
• The Financial Times and Nikkei are opening the first joint bureau in their international editorial network in Houston to strengthen coverage of the energy industry.
• NRG Energy, a Fortune 500 energy company with 3,000 local employees, announced it has designated Houston as its sole headquarters with plans for continued expansion.
• ProDevice Corp., a leader in modern technologies for storage media data destruction, announced an expansion to Houston with an office that will manage the company’s North and South American operations.
• Puro Bioplastics, a New York based provider of sustainable bioplastic solutions, is setting up manufacturing operations in a 20,000-square-foot facility in Houston.
• Quanta Services, a Houston-based company leading in specialized contracting services for the energy industry and others, will expand its headquarters office.
• Sourcepoint Mortgage, a leader in mortgage business process management service, is expanding to Houston with a 35,000-square-foot office.
• Stream Flo, a Canadian manufacturer supporting the oil and gas industry, said it will expand to Houston to support the manufacturing of a new product line.
• Super Cement, a company based in the United Arab Emirates, will build a green cement factory in Houston designed to lower the greenhouse gas effect.
• Talaris Therapeutics, a Kentucky-based biopharma company, opened a research facility in Houston to focus on process and analytical development.
• Texas MedPlast, an Argentinian manufacturer of PPE products, opened a manufacturing facility in Houston.
• Transocean, a leading international provider of offshore contract drilling services, is expanding and updating technology and software platforms used with offshore rigs and mobile fleets in the Houston Gulf Coast.
• UPS, a global leader in distribution and logistics, will replace its existing Houston facility with a state-of-the-art 660,000-square-foot packaging and sorting facility.
• World Recycled Products, a California-based company that developed a proprietary tech to utilize recycled products, recently opened a 34,000-square-foot facility in Waller.

The Houston region further solidified its position as a top U.S. metro for business relocations and expansions, with a total of more than 231 announced projects. Of those projects, 24% disclosed jobs tied to the announcement, amounting to over 10,520 jobs, and 15% disclosed capital expenditure totaling $3.4 billion.